


When Atlas Stumbles

by Promethein



Category: Dream SMP - Fandom
Genre: Dream Smp, It's never my time to die, It's not your time to die, Sad TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), TommyInnit Angst (Video Blogging RPF), dream smp angst, ghostbur is just having a good time, sapnap is a bitch, the lava bridge scene but more dramatic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-08
Updated: 2020-12-08
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:13:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27964361
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Promethein/pseuds/Promethein
Summary: Tommy currently sat off the edge of the Nether Bridge, his legs dangling off the side and being gently swayed by the hot wind that traveled through the realm. His expression showed no emotions beneath it, except perhaps one… peace? The kids eyes stared in trance directly into the boiling pit of lava that bubbled and boiled under him, slowly leaning further off the edge with every few passing seconds.________Tommy sits at the lava bridge, wanting to make a choice.But Dream won't just watch...________Just my rendition of the scene at the bridge ! ^_^
Comments: 6
Kudos: 376





	When Atlas Stumbles

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry, this is my first published fic on here so I hope it's not too bad! < 3

_Atlas carries the world on his back._

“Hey Tommy, Tommy! Watch this!” Sapnap called out in a painfully mocking tone as he stepped back into the nether portal linked to the main Dream SMP, allowing the purple swirls to encase his body as he slowly began to travel through the portal.

Dream chuckled as he watched his friend mess around with the child, almost fully oblivious to the blank and empty stare that Tommy wore on his expression as he watched the portal being used. Only a few moments later did Sapnap return alongside Ghostbur , the both of them rambling on like excited kids about things that were new over in the dream SMP, Sapnap doing it more to get under Tommys skin while Ghostbur was probably just excited about it all and failed to see the malintent behind all the bragging. They continued on for a moment before Ghostbur spoke up .

“Oh! And there's this huge Christmas tree! Its so cool! You guys should totally come and see it!” He smiled through his raspy voice brought on as a side effect of living among the deceased.

“Oh yeah! Let's go check it out! Cmon Dream, you too Tommy, you can come if you want!” Sapnap gave a knowing grin as he further rubbed salt into Tommys wound, watching his lifeless face take a step back from the three of them in a small attempt to remove himself from the conversation.

Ghostbur evidently didn't pick up on the tense atmosphere that sat in the air as he cheered out, “Wooo! Let's go! I'll take pictures of it!” With a smile reminiscent of the sun attempting to shine as bright as it can through clouded skies. It only took one second more before he dived headfirst into the portal and completely disappeared.

“Hurry up!” Sapnap called out as he approached the nether portal once again, “you two better not keep Ghostbur waiting. Especially you, Tommy,” was his final statement as he fell back into the lilac pool , leaving from sight in the exact same manner as Ghostbur.

Dreams grin lessoned under the porcelain mask a bit more every time he heard Sapnap take another dig at the kid but stayed silent, it's what Tommy deserved… right? No.

Tommy did deserve to be ruined, in Dreams opinion. But not by Sapnap, not by Ghostbur, not by Techno or Phil or Tubbo or ANYONE else. Tommy was his enemy and his enemy alone. That's gotta be why he felt bad for seeing other people kick the kid down.. it had to be.

With his back turned to Tommy, the fighter stared deeply into the swirls and lines of the portal, all crossing and weaving around each other, rarely ever actually touching. All parallel lines, twisting… curving… flowing… and still never touching.. never interfering with eachother. Words rung out in Dreams mind.

_“Hey, Dream?”_

_“Yes, Tommy?”_

_“I know this is kinda, as the kids would say, outa pocket of me to ask,” he begun._

_Dream chuckled… Tommy had always been funny like that._

_“but… do you think that maybe in another universe we… could have been friends? Like.. actual friends.”_

_Dream thought._

_“Maybe… maybe in a parallel universe that has nothing in common with this one._

_Tommy paused._

_“Oh… I see…”_

The kid had clearly looked up to dream when he had first stumbled into this land, but how quickly that admiration can fade.  
It's a miracle Tommys tears had dried after Dream destroyed his nation before his eyes. Sometimes Dream wasn't convinced Tommys scream of agony from being shot in the chest on the bridge had ever stopped echoing. Sometimes Dream missed the time before, knowing that the eyes that had once shone in amazement now dimmed in fear and apprehension whenever he entered the room. He knows he shouldn't care, the sun still rises in the east, darkness falls at night, the leaves still fall and flags still fly. But the nation remains unfulfilled.

Dream sighed heavily to himself and tore his vision away from the portal to the black stone floor.  
“Welp, I'm probably gonna head through,” he remarked with a prideful tone, effectively hiding the sorrowed expression that laid under his mask. Pushing the small amount of pride he actually had in that moment onto his face, Dream looked over his shoulder to Tommy with an arrogant smug, only to have the smile immediately wipe away.

__

But what do you do when Atlas begins to stumble?

__

Tommy currently sat off the edge of the Nether Bridge, his legs dangling off the side and being gently swayed by the hot wind that traveled through the realm. His expression showed no emotions beneath it, except perhaps one… peace? The kids eyes stared in trance directly into the boiling pit of lava that bubbled and boiled under him, slowly leaning further off the edge with every few passing seconds. 

__

When his shoulder begins to crack?

__

So close now.. a single push of wind could even be the end for him now. And for some reason- that concept shot fear and adrenaline through Dream.

__

Can you condemn someone for giving up on something they didn't ask for?

__

In a moment of pure impulse and irrationality, Dream immediately ran from the nether portal to Tommys side.

__

When you sign someone up to be the hero and then castigate them for not being good enough.

__

He dived over and pulled the back of Tommys shirt, throwing him to the middle of the nether bridge and standing between him and the edge.  
“Tommy! What the hell was that?!”

__

But there's a reason Zeus chose Atlas to hold the sky and bare the weight of the world on his shoulders without fear he'd fail.

__

“Were you about to jump?! What the fuck were you thinking!” Dreams voice mixed with aggression and confusion while Tommy didn't move much. He stayed sat in the middle of the bridge, refusing to look Dream in the eyes and instead stared out into the nothingness of the nether.

__

Theres a reason why even though Hercules can briefly hold the sky up for Atlas he is still not as strong as the Titan cursed to bare this responsibility.

__

Dream took a deep and emotional sigh as he looked into Tommys empty eyes, a child's light broken by war and the burden to learn. “Tommy… it's not your time to die.”

__

It's because Atlas never once questioned or hesitated bearing the burden of the world. No matter how many times over he need do it.

__

Slowly and slackly, Tommy rose to his feet and begun to leave back to Logsted, only leaving Dream with one final response.  
“It never is”

__

And so Atlas still carries the world on his back.

__


End file.
